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Facilitating Successful Aging: The Spiritual Component

What You Will Learn • Definition of spirituality • Sources of spirituality • Measuring spiritual success • How you can facilitate the spiritual well-being of residents

What Is Spirituality? Successful Aging = Physical + Social + Intellectual + Spiritual

What Is Spirituality? Spirituality helps us try to answer these universal questions: Spirituality allows us to appreciate the beauty of THIS MOMENT. • Why am I alive? • What does my life mean (to me and to others)? • What is my relationship to other living things? • What is my relationship to the earth? • How can I more fully appreciate the gift of life?

Why Is Spirituality A Part Of Successful Aging? Spirituality has been associated with: • Improvements in subjective well-being • Reductions in depression levels • Reduced feelings of distress • Less morbidity (Ellison 1991) (Williams, Larson, Buckler, Heckmann, and Pyle 1991) (Levin 1996) • Increased life span (Levin 1996) • Better adaptation to medical illness & the burden of caregiving (Ell, et al. , 1989 ; Jenkins and Pargament 1995 ; Kaczorowski 1989) • Better compliance with medical regimens • Better immune system function (Dull and Skokan 1995) (Koenig, George, Cohen, et al. 1998 )

What Is the Greatest Barrier To Spirituality? Our Own Mind!

Sources of Spirituality

Examples Of Spiritual Endeavors Faith Music Reading Tai Chi, Yoga, Pilates Painting Carpentry Meditation Children Poetry Pets Plants & Gardening Volunteering Conversation about meaning, place & purpose Laughter Dancing Nature Cooking ? ?

How to Know You’re On The Right Track Spiritually • Hope is maintained or regained after a setback The definition of success is individual. • Connection with inner self is solid • You can celebrate the uniqueness of yourself • There is depth, meaning and purpose in your life

How to Know You’re On The Right Track Spiritually • Life – even the simplest thing – brings joy The definition of success is individual. • Less stress and more peace • Better sleep • Better relationships with others

What Can You Do To Help Residents On Their Journey Toward Spiritual Fulfillment?

What Can You Do? • Be a good listener • Encourage residents to do what they love • Organize spiritual pursuits with the Masterpiece Living Lifestyle Coordinator that will help you help residents • Be on the lookout for barriers that might prevent a resident from growing spiritually • Other ideas? • Don’t Project Your Beliefs!

Remember If spirituality is missing in our lives, we cannot grow in all aspects of our life. Studies show this affects our ability to age successfully.

Summary • Spirituality comes from many sources • We need spirituality to be whole and to age successfully • You can help residents grow spiritually • Smell the roses, watch a sunset and appreciate your fellow human beings

Questions & Discussion

Some People Would Say … Religion is: Spirituality is: Formal/structured Formal or informal; structured or unstructured Expressed as a group Expressed individually Observable, measured more objectively by researchers, organized and extrinsic Less visible, more subjective, more intrinsic Behavior-oriented (outward) Emotionally oriented (more inward) Sometimes authoritarian Less authoritarian; little external accountability Doctrine separating good from evil Not doctrine-oriented; promotes unification Source: Crowther et al. , 2002